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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · fork · suit · stand · key · cell

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bank — of a river
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. key — in music
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com